Swan Song
by Apollonia Veritas
Summary: Lucille Bones was a good girl. A Hufflepuff, a wall flower. On the the night of June the Sixth, all that changes when she is at the wrong place at the wrong time, namely, the West Tower, and becomes the hostage of Sirius Black, the insane murderer.
1. Vision of Black

Chapter One: Vision Of Black

Lucille Bones stood on the edge of the wall, first gazing at the velvety black sky, then looking down at the frightfully far below ground. She was at the courtyard on the West Tower and there was no one here but herself...or until that moment. She heard the beating of large wings and quickly stepped off the wall and hid behind an arch. To her complete surprise, she peeked around the edge of the arch to see Harry Potter and a girl from one of her Muggle Studies classes, Hermione Granger, with the hippogriff that the Malfoy boy had caused such a commotion about, and...Sirius Black. Lucille held back the scream begging to slip past her pale pink lips, but she was more intrigued than scared of the man she saw in front of her. She'd been in her third year when Sirius Black and his gang was in their seventh, but she remembered how good looking he was back then...every girl, including the third years like herself had aspired to be with him, silly as it may have seemed for a third year. Even now, Sirius was still as handsome as ever, and she blushed at her thoughts. Lucille couldn't believe that Sirius was a criminal. She'd seen how close James Potter and Sirius had been in school, there must have been some mistake. And there was no way that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger would help a criminal. Lucille tried to hear what the threesome was talking about, but she couldn't hear a single word. She moved slightly, hoping to be able to hear better, but quickly shifted out of sight as she saw Sirius glance in her direction. Lucille could only hope and pray that he'd not seen her, but as she braved a second glance, she'd seen that he was now seated on the hippogriff and Harry and Hermione were watching as Sirius left, flying far into the distance. Lucille waited until the two ran past her down the stairs. She breathed a sigh of relief and pushed her blonde bangs out of her eyes. She was alone again, as she wandered about the courtyard, lonely as usual. The silence seemed to grow louder and louder, until she finally heard the clatter of claws on the stoned floor. Lucille twisted about, her round blue eyes widening in fright. What if Sirius had come back? She swore he'd seen her, after all. Glancing around, she saw nothing and relaxed letting out a sigh. A moment too soon, unfortunately, she found as she felt a large, rough hand grasp her around the neck and a knife at her throat, right under the left side of her jaw.

"Don't scream," growled a low voice, and he half turned her around to face him.


	2. On the Other Side

Chapter Two: On the Other Side

The fear in her eyes intensified as her worst fear became reality; Sirius Black was dangling her life in his fingertips. Remaining calm and not immediately reaching for the wand in the inside pocket of her robe, she nodded.

"O-Okay," she stuttered, then gained some confidence. "But I'll have you know I'm a teacher here, and it will be noticed if I'm not here come Monday--" Sirius cut her off with a nasty laugh, and pressed the knife he held into her neck ever so slightly, just enough to draw blood in a thin, two inch line. Lucille whimpered.

"You're really not in the position to be making threats, Love," he drawled. "I suggest you come quietly." He took the pressure of the chilling blade off her. "Do you accept my suggestion?" Lucille nodded weakly, and with his arm still around her neck, he pulled her over to the hippogriff and settled her in front of him.

"Up, Buckbeak," Sirius commanded, and they took off in the direction Lucille had seen him begin in before. Lucille could tell it was going to be a long night.

An hour later, Sirius had landed them all the way on the other side of the Forbidden Forest.

"Off," he ordered Lucille, and she whimpered.

"But I'm scared! I've never even been even a little in the forest; now I'm on the other side, and I don't know what's on this side, and the werewolves and the vampires and I'm scared! P-Please Mr. Black," she sobbed, finally breaking into tears and turning half way to face him. "Please don't leave me here!" Sirius stared at the tears spilling from the large blue eyes.

"I'm not stranding you," he said. "I'll even get off first, and then you can get off. Just don't try anything funny." He easily slipped off Buckbeak's back and held out his arms for her to steady herself with. Lucille, trying to get off as quickly as possible so as not to upset him, clumsily fell off into Sirius's arms. She quickly pulled away, blushing so furiously that Sirius could see her face tinge red in the moonlight. He half smiled. He wasn't sure if she was blushing because she was horrified that she'd touched the notorious "heir apparent to Lord Voldemort" or because she seemed about his age and maybe remembered him from the days when he was the dashing and attractive Sirius Black. She did look vaguely familiar...perhaps he did know her.

"Do you have a wand?" he asked her. Lucille hesitated, and Sirius realized she probably thought he was going to steal it off her. "I just want to build a fire, that's all."

"Oh," she answered, and pulled out her wand carefully. "Inciendo," she said clearly, pointing her wand to the ground, and a neat little camp-like fire sprouted from the ground. Sirius sprawled out in front of it, and motioned for her to do the same, so Lucille sat down Indian-style across from him. As the weather had been quite warm that evening, she'd been wearing a pair of muggle shorts under her lavender summer robes, and her long legs stuck out from her robes. She now wished she'd worn jeans; who knew how long she'd be held hostage? She watched Sirius as he stared dimly into the flames, and before she knew what she was doing, she opened her mouth.

"How did you do it?" she asked curiously. Her eyes grew and her throat tightened as he turned his dark stare to her.

"Do what?"

"Break out."

"Why do you want to know," he replied, his voice low and even. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Sorry," she squeaked. Sirius laughed, and it almost seemed like a dog's bark.

"Don't be afraid. They have had the wrong man. Although you probably don't believe me," he stated calmly.

"I...I do, actually," Lucille said suddenly. She surprised herself as well as Sirius. She didn't know what made her say it. She just did, and she really did believe him. They remained silently a second, Sirius just gazing at Lucille.

"Do I know you?" he asked after a while. Lucille blushed and tried to hid her smile. Sirius raised his eyebrows and a smile came to his own lips. Maybe she'd blushed before because she _did_ know him from school.

"I don't think so...I remember _you_ though...from school...but I was only a third year in your seventh," she mumbled shyly, having trouble keeping eye contact with him.

"I thought you looked familiar...what house were you?" he asked interestedly.

"Um...Hufflepuff," she half-whispered, feeling a bit on the embarrassed. Everyone always made fun of the Hufflepuffs. She hated feeling ashamed, she practically loathed herself for it, but she couldn't help it.

"Sorry, couldn't hear you," Sirius said, putting a hand to his ear.

"Hufflepuff," she murmured again.

"What?" Sirius said loudly. He crawled over to her and sat beside her. "Tell me, don't be shy. You weren't a Slytherin, were you?" He laughed as though it was a very funny joke, and Lucille smiled with him.

"I was in...Hufflepuff," she told him reluctantly, reddening again. Sirius smiled. Her blushing was beginning to almost become endearing to him. When was the last time a girl blushed in his presence? Especially with the little problem of being in Azkaban for twelve years.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well, everyone always made fun of us. Even now I hear the Slytherins calling them duffers and other things..." Lucille looked away from Sirius, her face still very red. "I always hated being made fun of. All I ever wanted to do was blend in, and I've become very good at it too." Sirius took in Lucille's body. She was very nicely shaped, slender and tall, a faint tan, the youthful blue eyes and golden hair that was pinned up.

"How do _you _blend in?" he asked wonderingly. Lucille gave him a very surprised look. "I mean, you're very...extremely...incredibly...beautiful," he finished, finding himself for the first time at a loss for words when it came to talking with girls. What do you know, twelve years away from flirting may cause a glitch. And he'd thought it'd be like riding a bicycle; once you know how, you never forget. Lucille laughed, and Sirius realized how much he missed the sound of a girl's laugh when he'd turned his charm on them. Giving her his trademark smile, he added, "You know, I'm not too good at this capturing a hostage deal. I forgot to ask you your name."

"I don't think you have to ask your hostage their name, actually," Lucille told him, feeling oddly comfortable with him. "In fact, you don't really have to do anything you don't want to do with them."

"I'd still like to know. I feel like I know who you are...are you sure we never spoke in school?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, I'm positive," Lucille laughed. Sirius smiled. She'd lightened up pretty quickly for someone who was the hostage of an escaped supposed-lunatic.

"Tell me your name anyway," he coaxed. Lucille smiled. Never once at thirteen or any other age did she think that Sirius Black would become an insane murderer, take her hostage and seemingly try to...seduce her?

"My name's Lucille...Bones," she added as an afterthought. Sirius's jaw dropped slightly, brow raised.

"Leggy Lucy Bones?" he choked out, half laughing. "No bloody way..." He chuckled. Lucille glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What are you talking about?" she asked skeptically. Sirius looked at her in surprise.

"Well, uh...er, well...when you were younger--and now, too, don't get me wrong--not that I'm looking--"

"Why don't you cut to the chase?" she said in a stiff tone. She seemed to have forgotten she was an assumed mass murderer's hostage, now, and quite ironically, so had Sirius as he gulped at her McGonagall-like demeanor.

"You had great legs and I thought you were pretty cute back in school--for a third year," he shot out quickly, only half-telling the truth.

"What?!" Lucille yelled, and Sirius winced.

"Okay, okay, I thought you were better looking than most of the girls older than you too," he admitted, surprised she was so good at legilmency. Lucille's jaw dropped, and Sirius realized she hadn't been mind reading after all. She covered her eyes with her hands.

"Tell me your joking," she said quietly.

"I'm joking…?"

"You're lying."

"Yeah, sorry." They were silent for a few minutes, Lucille's hands still over her eyes.

"You know, if it makes you feel any better, you started out kind of mousy--"

"No it doesn't make me feel any better, thanks!" she snapped. Yes, she'd completely forgotten which of them was the captor and which was the hostage.

"Look, I don't understand what the big deal is. So I thought you were cute, so sue me."

"I _was_ cute?" Sirius sighed frustrated.

"And you're beautiful now, but please, don't bite my head off." Sirius waited for her to say something. "I thought you wanted to be unnoticed anyway?"

"Well, I'm probably going to die, it'd be nice to die knowing I was pretty," Lucille joked dryly. Sirius laughed.

"You're a funny girl Lucy. And don't worry, you're…very pretty," he said, letting his slow-growing smile come to his face. "And I won't let anything hurt you here, so don't worry."

"Yeah, 'cos you'll probably kill me first," Lucille pouted, remembering finally who they were and why they were there.

"I thought you said you believed me," Sirius asked.

"That was before you made up things about our school days."

"Really Lucy, I _did _call you that; all the guys did. I think it was the only thing Lucius Malfoy and I ever agreed on. Only thing we ever will, too." Lucille made a gagging sound.

"I believe I'm going to retch now."

"Aw, c'mon Lucy Love…"

"Why do you insist on calling me Lucy?"

"I dunno…it's just…how I remember you I guess," he said teasingly, his charming grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Very much against her will, Lucille swooned inwardly as she did so many years ago as a young school girl. The extremely few and very brief times that she'd ever been in any contact with Sirius in school usually left her speechless and dumbfounded. She couldn't believe that she was actually bossing him around now, especially since (for the millionth time she reminded herself) she was _his_ captive.

"You disgust me," she told him sharply, standing up and walking away from him. She didn't go too far--she didn't think wandering into the forest so late was a good idea.

"Aw, Lucy, don't be vexed. C'mon, you should consider yourself lucky; how many girls would jump at the chance to be alone with me in the Forbidden Forest? And I bet the fact that I'm a "misunderstood bad boy" wouldn't hurt my chances either," he laughed, gaining back the confidence that had only seemed to need a little polishing. He followed her and slung his arm boldly around her shoulder. Lucille's huge eyes widened more than Sirius thought possible and she backed away from him.

"P-Please don't, I'm--I'm waiting…" she trailed nervously. Sirius gave her a confused look.

"Do what? What are you waiting for?" Sirius asked, then laughed at her seriously distressed face. "Oh good God, you thought I was going to--"

"Well you would too, if you had an escaped convict making advances on you as he told you your legs still looked as good when you were thirteen," Lucille huffed. She softened for a second. "Do they really still look that good?" she asked as an after thought. Sirius laughed his bark-laugh again.

"I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true," he promised, bowing his head at her as he smiled apologetically. They were silent as they stared at each other a moment.

"Was your hair always that short? I remember it longer," Sirius said after a while.

"It's just pinned up," Lucille informed him, and pulled out the clip holding her hair up, and her hair bounced to her shoulder blades with a bit of a wave in it from being pulled back. "I usually wear it back to keep it out of my face," she added, patting it self-consciously. Sirius pulled her hand away from it.

"It looks good down," he told her. Lucille smiled and looked away from him and the forest, quiet again for a while.

"What are you thinking about, Luce?" She turned back to him.

"Well, I was wondering--"

"When I'd be taking you home," Sirius finished. "I don't know." He sat down at the fire dejectedly. He hadn't really thought about what he was going to do with her. Sirius knew he couldn't drag her about all over the world, especially since she had a week or so left to teach. "What do you teach at Hogwarts, anyway?" he asked suddenly, to distract her from the unanswerable question.

"Muggle Studies," she told him plainly. Lucille sat down beside him again. "And I don't care if you think it's boring." Sirius laughed.

"Well, _someone _takes their subject seriously," Sirius joked. "I never took it myself. But Lily was--" Sirius broke off, and Lucille noticed the tears welling up in his eyes. "Lily was a muggle, and she took it. She said she wanted to see how wizards and witches saw muggles and the things they did. Thought it would be interesting." Sirius snorted and threw a twig into the fire. "She was so brilliant--obvious why _she _became head girl. James was smart too, don't get me wrong." Sirius paused and bowed his head a moment. "But how he was able to win Lily over, I'll never know." Lucy watched Sirius laugh. It sounded to her like a laugh he hadn't had in ages; strong and loud. But it didn't last long. Tears spilled down his cheeks and he put his face in his hands as he broke into sobs. "I swear, if I'd have known, I'd have killed Pettigrew before he'd ever betrayed us! I wouldn't have been so stupid! How could I…I practically handed them to Voldemort! I helped ruin lives because I was a proud fool," he choked out. Lucille felt her heart drop to her stomach as she watched none other than Sirius Black breaking down to hysterics like a small child. She was sure beyond belief that Sirius hadn't killed them now, as she cautiously reached out and touched his shoulder gently.

"Sirius, they wouldn't blame you; you couldn't have known. No one blames you," she whispered, coming closer and putting her arms around him. Lucille didn't even care about the state of his robes or that he had threatened her and took her hostage as she held him and rocked him as she would a baby. She didn't say a single word to him as he sobbed and babbled about James and Lily; only prayed that the black velvet above them would give them the sleep they both needed, and eventually her prayer was answered.


	3. Feeling Grim

Chapter Three: Feeling Grim

Hours later, at the nearing of dawn, Sirius woke up slowly. Feeling warm arms around him, he was sure he was dreaming. Glancing over, he tried to focus his eyes on the girl beside him…blonde, blue-eyed, pretty…when the hell did he have time to pick up a girl? And what girl in her right mind had let _him_ pick her up? And why the hell were they lying on the ground on the other side of the Forbidden Forest? Then he remembered yesterday, and Harry and Remus and Peter, and abducting Lucille, and his and Lucille's conversations the night before. He looked at her. She was probably terrified out of her wits right now. Sirius nudged her slightly, though he didn't take his arms away from her.

"Lucy, wake up," he said softly.

"Hmm?" she answered drowsily. "But it's Saturday Susan; I don't want to go to Hogsmeade, no shops are open this early any wayOh, Sirius!" she interrupted herself, realizing she wasn't in bed and it wasn't her younger sister waking her up to go shopping. She blushed, and Sirius grinned. It had been at least twelve years since he'd made a girl blush first thing in the morning, and it did make him feel right jaunty.

"Are you taking me home now?" Lucille asked hopefully. Sirius's smile faded.

"I'm sorry, I can't. There'll be all sorts of ministry people hanging about, and I just can't chance bringing you back just yet. I mean, I don't even know if I can trust you not to report me," he added, looking sideways at her. Lucille frowned.

"I already told you I believed you," she answered, annoyed he'd forgotten that she'd told him.

"Well, there's a chance that you were just saying that to get on my good side so I'd let you go," Sirius explained.

"Oh…well, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," she said.

"But I didn't know that," Sirius countered. "But I guess last night proved you to be telling the truth. You didn't seem to care if you made me mad or not," he added, his grin lopsided.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucille asked suspiciously, her brows furrowed.

"Well, you yelled at me for calling you pretty, then not calling you pretty, and you were bossing me around quite a bit," Sirius laughed. "So much for being a kidnapper. And I thought it would be easy!" Lucille laughed.

"You better not quit your day job if you can't even capture someone as weak as me," she teased him. "I mean honestly, I'm not the best witch, and I'm definitely not strong enough to hold you back. My own students could bully me if they wanted to!"

"Don't sell yourself short," Sirius half-scolded her. "You're a good witch, I'm sure. And no guy likes a girl who can beat them up. Obviously your students like you if they don't bully you when they could, which means you're a good teacher. So don't be so hard on yourself." Lucille wished she wouldn't blush, but she could feel her cheeks getting hot again. She shook her hair out of her face and straightened up. "So what will we be doing today?" she asked in a business like tone to change the subject. Sirius stood up.

"You remind me of McGonagall," he commented, leaning against a tree and gazing thoughtfully at her.

"Good, I'll take that as a compliment," Lucille smirked. "_So_, what are we doing today?" she persisted.

"Lying low and finding food." Lucille made a face. The second to last thing she wanted to do was catch animals, kill them and eat them, and the very last thing she wanted to do was go into the Forbidden Forest to do so, but that was the direction Sirius was going, and she didn't want to be left behind. As she followed him, Sirius turned around.

"How about you stay here with Buckbeak and watch the fire. You've got a wand. If anyone should find you…obliviate their memory and send them to Hogsmeade," Sirius instructed her. Lucille nodded. She knew how to perform a memory charm, but it had been a while, probably since her NEWTS that she'd done one. Sirius smiled.

"Right then," he said briskly. "I'll be back shortly."

A half hour later, Sirius five squirrels and sat down beside the fire to skin them.

"Did you have to obliviate anyone?" Sirius asked pleasantly, as though asking about the weather.

"No," Lucille replied dully as she stirred the fire with twigs absently. She wrinkled her nose at the squirrels. "We really have to eat those?" Sirius looked up a her skeptically.

"I've eaten rats before. Trust me; squirrel isn't so bad." Lucille gulped. What if she wound up staying with him so long she'd have to eat rats? "_Don't be silly_," she tried to assured herself. "_He'll have you back by Monday_." But she really wasn't that sure.

Sirius strung the squirrels on a stick like a rotisserie, and Lucille charmed it to make it turn. They sat in silence for a while as they watched them fry.

"So you never did tell me how you escaped," Lucille said.

"Maybe I don't want to tell you, did you ever think of that?" Sirius answered shortly, shifting about.

"Then a simple 'I'd rather not talk about it' would suffice," Lucille answered primly. They were silent again for a minute.

"I turned into a dog," Sirius blurted out. Lucille raised a brow.

"Really."

"I'm an animagus."

"Really? I've been studying for a while, four years almost. I've almost completed it, but so far I only know I have big feathered white wings. But how are you an animagus if you're not in any records?" Lucille added, feeling a little shy she'd told him. Sirius was the first person she'd told.

"That's because I'm unregistered," Sirius explained. "I became in school, with James and Pettigrew, because of Remus being" He paused.

"Because of Remus being a werewolf. I teach beside him, I think I know," Lucille smiled understandingly.

"What do you think of him?" Sirius asked suddenly. sitting up straighter and looking carefully at her.

"What do you mean?" Lucille returned, her brows slightly raised again.

"I _mean, _what kind of person do you think he is?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"Oh…Well, he's the same as he was back in school, calm nice to everyone, something of a commanding presence without trying hard for it. Very easy to like," she said thoughtfully.

"So you _like _him," Sirius persisted.

"Yes, of course," she answered, feeling a bit confused.

"What about him being a werewolf? Doesn't it freak you out?"

"Well, I've never seen him as a werewolf…and of course it scares me, I imagine it scares him too. But he can't really help that, can he? It's just his flesh that changes, not his heart, or his mind. He can't control that, the same way you can't control not being a good kidnapper," Lucille teased him, trying to get Sirius to lighten up.

"And you _like _him?" Sirius repeated.

"Yes, I already told you. Everyone does, really; except Snape," Lucille answered, perplexed by Sirius's behavior. Sirius sat back.

"Oh. Oh, you meanOkay, never mind," he said absently.

"So how long did it take you to learn how to do it?" Lucille asked, deciding that changing the subject would be the best idea. "It takes years, some people never get it."

"It took James and I two and a half years," Sirius said proudly. "We completed it by the middle of fifth year."

"And what do you become again?"

"A dog," Sirius answered. "A huge scary black dog." He grinned. "But very lovable." Lucille rolled her eyes, smiling.

"I'm sure," she answered.

"Don't believe me?" Sirius said mischievously, and in seconds he had morphed into a giant black dog. Lucille winced at the sight of him.

"You look like a Grim," she shivered. Sirius whined.

"Well, you _do_," Lucille answered pointedly. "Oh my God, I can't believe I'm going to argue with a dog," she laughed at herself. Sirius returned to his human form.

"I _do not_ look like a Grim," he pouted. "Besides what does it matter? The Grim is just stupid old wives tale."

"Says who?" Lucille demanded.

"Says me, for one," Sirius replied.

"_Okay_," Lucille answered sarcastically.

"I can't believe you actually believe something so stupid," Sirius scoffed.

"Are you calling me stupid?" Lucille asked hotly, and Sirius could almost see hackles raising.

"No, I'm saying that I thought you were smarter than that," he answered. Lucille opened her mouth in retort, but his words registered before she said anything and she closed her mouth.

"Oh," was all she said. They were quiet for a while, then Sirius remembered something Lucille had said.

"Did you like me when we were in school?" he asked. Lucille's cheeks tinged pink.

"What makes you ask?"

"You blushed when I asked you if we knew each other in school and said that you knew me, but I didn't know you, and you turn red and go quiet every time I compliment you.

"I do not!"

"You do."

"I don't!" Lucille let her hair fall in her face to hide her cursed blushing.

"When your fringe falls in your eyes like that, you look like you did when you were thirteen and I'm reminded of how cute you were," Sirius said, grinning. His grin only widened when Lucille turned to glare at him with her face completely red. He laughed. "I told you so," he replied in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, I don't even care anymore," Lucille answered, angry with her skin for betraying her.

"You still never answered my question," Sirius reminded her. As if she needed reminding.

"Maybe I don't want to," she snapped.

"Then a simple 'I don't want to talk about it' will suffice," he mimicked her, and he saw her try to suppress a smile out of the corner of his eye. The squirrels were finally done and Sirius handed her one. They ate in silence for a few minutes.

"Why do you care so much if I liked you? All the girls liked you; I _know_ you knew that," she said.

"I wasn't asking about all the other girls. I was asking about you," he told her plainly.

"Well, then no, I didn't have a crush on you, or like you or anything like that, if it's so important," Lucille lied.

"Oh."

"Kind of hard to find out 'Leggy Lucy' was the only girl not swooning over your every move?" she teased. Sirius smirked at her.

"More like surprised really, but never mind."

"Never mind what?"

"Oh, nothing, really…"

"Sirius! Don't be a dolt! Just tell me!"

"Okay, fine. The reason I first started taking notice in you was because James kept pointing out the cute little blonde in Hufflepuff who always seemed to be looking at me. It just brought me to question why you were watching me, you know, if you didn't fancy me," he answered smugly. Amazingly for once, Lucille didn't turn red.

"I was just…impressed, really," she told him, not completely lying.

"How so?"

"You earned top marks, and you still goofed off more than anyone, and you always left Severus Snape tongue-tied. Plus…I can't believe I remember this, but in my third year, Severus completely hated me and my best friend Mary Jane, and he was always trying to dock points from us. Once, he tried to take fifty points because we were on the 'wrong side' of the corridor. But you stopped him, and he wound up taking the points off you. I was just in such awe that you helped me and Mary Jane even though it would have helped Gryffindor with the house cup if we got points taken, and even though Gryffindor got points taken instead." Lucille smiled. She was more surprised that she told him that than that she remembered it.

"Hey I did, didn't I?" Sirius said slowly. He laughed. "Now look at your hero. He's your captor." Lucille laughed with him.

"And he's not very good at being a captor. But heroes are usually misunderstood." Lucille yawned.

"Go to sleep if you're tired, Lucy." Lucille rested her head on the ground.

"I'm not really tired, I just need to rest my head," she answered. "I wonder what Susan's doing…and my mother…and Daddy…" a few tears rolled down her cheeks, and Sirius gently rubbed her back.

"Shh, don't worry Lucy, I'll take you home tomorrow night; I swear," Sirius promised. Soon Lucille was sleeping soundly, and Sirius watched her sleep. He felt guilty that he'd taken her, but he was truly enjoying her company. He would be really sorry tomorrow night when he would be alone again. But he wouldn't break his promise.


	4. The Solitary One in the Serpent

Chapter Four: The Solitary One in the Serpent

At twilight, Lucille woke up.

"I had sleeping on the ground," she grumbled. "Sirius, hey, Sirius…Sirius?" Lucille stood up and looked around. Buckbeak was still with her, chomping down on a leftover squirrel, but she didn't see Sirius anywhere. Lucille moved closer to Buckbeak and pulled out her wand, glancing about nervously. How dare Sirius leave her alone like this!

"Ah, you're awake; good." Lucille jumped at the voice, which was coming from above. She narrowed her brows at Sirius who was seated in the tree above her, grinning at her.

"Did you get scared, Love?" he asked as he jumped down. Lucille smacked him harshly in the arm as soon as he was on the ground.

"Don't you ever do that again. And don't call me 'Love,'" she said angrily.

"Aw, c'mon pigeon, I didn't mean to scare you," he pleaded, holding his arms up in defense.

"Don't call me that either! Call me just Lucille."

"Okay fine…Just Lucille," Sirius answered, a playful grin on his lips. Lucille swatted at him again, but he dodged just in time.

"You know what I mean!"

"Okay okay!" He started stamping out the fire and walked over to Buckbeak.

"Hey, where are you going?" Lucille demanded. For the briefest second she prayed he was taking her back to Hogwarts.

"We're going to Hogsmeade. You're going to have to get food, and a few supplies I'll need before I leave tomorrow night," Sirius said. "Don't worry, I've money for you to use." Lucille rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, because I was really just about to volunteer my own," she said sarcastically.

"You don't have to be rude," Sirius said.

"I'm not," Lucille said loftily. "I'm just getting a bit bored with this whole hostage thing. You're not very good at it, you know."

"You know, the way you talk, one might think you'd enjoy being kidnapped properly, with abuse and the possibilities of death or rape."

"Are you kidding me! I just want to go home!" Lucille cried out. "Let's get one thing straight, mister. First of all, I was scared out of my mind when you caught me, and you pressing that knife in my neck sure as hell didn't help, especially when you drew blood. Secondly, you're making me confront all my worst fears; being kidnapped, being out alone at night, being the forest, and getting raped," she told him, poking him in the chest at every fear she mentioned. "I hate that stuff, and it's being shoved in my face every waking moment," she said tears fighting to pour from her eyes. "And you don't care one bit."

"Why would you think you were going to be raped?" Sirius asked skeptically.

"Oh, well, let's see. Maybe it's because I'm a girl, and you haven't had any for the very least of twelve years?" she retorted cynically, then turned slightly. "Not to mention you were a bit of a playboy," she added under her breath.

"Hey, I heard that!" Sirius said angrily, "And for your information, whenever I have sex with a girl, there has to be pretty strong feelings. I may have had a lot of experiences, but I still had a relationship with the girls I've shagged!" Lucille snorted.

"Real nice, to refer to them as the 'girls you've shagged'," she said sarcastically. "But I guess you've forgotten about Stephanie Whitby then, did you? And, I suppose, Tina Quirke, and the same for Samantha Evargard? And what about Mallory Brocklehurst?" Lucille accused. Sirius's jaw dropped.

"How do you know about all of them?" he asked, his voice hushed by his shock. Lucille looked away from him and her own lips parted in surprised. She couldn't believe she'd let all of that come out.

"I just do," she snapped. "Are we going to Hogsmeade or what?" Sirius winced.

"Right away," he answered quickly, as though he was afraid of getting another verbal lashing. Lucille crossed her arms over her chest as she watched him as he hurriedly put out the fire.

"What are you supposed to be doing while I'm shopping? I suppose you will be watching me to make sure I don't run off," she said boredly.

"I'll be in my dog from. But it's not that I don't trust you"

"It's just that you don't."

"No, Lucy; c'mon now"

"I told you not to call me Lucy!"

"I just forgot, you don't have to jump down my throat. It was only out of habit."

"Then you must be pretty dumb."

"Not as dumb as the name Lucille! _That's _dumb," Sirius sneered.

"My name is beautiful, you great big stupid oaf! At least I'm not named after some mythical dog."

"I'm not even arguing about this with you. C'mon, we're Apparating."

"I can't Apparate!"

"What! Are you kidding me?"

"I failed three times, you mangy git. After the third time, I was a bit scared away from it. Get over it. We can just use Buckbeak," she said angrily.

"Yeah and have an easier time getting caught!" Lucille resisted telling him that it was because he'd been in Azkaban that they were afraid of being caught, knowing that it would lead to an empty argument.

"Oh, move out of the way," she said exasperatedly. She bowed to Buckbeak and after he bowed, she cast a disillusionment charm on him. "There. Now no one will be able to see him, or us if we're on him." She smiled triumphantly at Sirius, who rolled his eyes, bowed to Buckbeak, and then climbed on his back.

"Get on," he said roughly.

"Okay, okay," Lucille said. Tired of waiting, Sirius pulled her onto Buckbeak behind him.

"Hold on tight," he said, and nudged Buckbeak, who took off very suddenly. Lucille squealed and grabbed Sirius tightly around the waist, feeling quite nervous. She hadn't meant to grab him so tightly, but she was afraid to slip off, given their unusually fast speed and continual elevation. Unknown to Lucille, Sirius smirked as he kept Buckbeak accelerating higher and faster.

At the stile of Dervish and Banges, Sirius landed Buckbeak and tethered him to the stile. Lucille glanced around anxiously, and was relieved to see no people. Sirius handed her a full bag and a piece of parchment.

"That's the money and the list." Lucille glanced at the list.

"This is it? Food and a wand? This is a waste of paper," she scoffed. "And no offense, but you could really use some hygiene productsdon't worry, I'll take care of you," Lucille told him confidently.

"Lucille, I'm going into hiding, no one will care what I look like," Sirius protested.

"Ah-ah-ah! That's exactly why. Once I get you cleaned up, no one will recognize you!"

"Oh God…"

"Hey, this is my forte; just trust me," Lucille reassured him. Sirius transformed into the dog, and he and Lucille walked towards the shops. Surprisingly, no store managers had much of a problem with Sirius's being inside, as long as he kept his paws to himself. The first shop they went into they got groceries and it seemed like Lucille was getting ten of everything. She slipped into Honeydukes as well, getting an approving look from Sirius (or at least as much as an approving look as a dog can give.). Finally she went to her favorite shop, a boutique that sold many different beauty supplies for witches: Anti-wart cream, Hair Sleeker, Tooth Whitener, the aisles went on and on. Lucille could hear Sirius whine ever so slightly with ever bottle of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash she put in her basket, and at the scissors as well. He actually growled at her when she looked at a manicure set, and she frowned at him and firmly placed it in the basket.

"Nail care is super important," she insisted. "If you look at someone's nails, you can tell exactly what kind of person they are." Her own nails were acrylic French tips. Lucille felt she must have looked pretty silly talking to a dog in a boutique, but she figured if Elle Woods could get her Chihuahua highlights and dress him in little pink outfits in Legally Blonde, she could talk to Sirius at the least. When they finally left, Lucille glanced at the list and tapped it against her chin thoughtfully.

"Now for a wand…but where can I get you a wand here?" she pondered. Sirius nudged her down a back alley way and about halfway down, he scratched at the brick wall of the left building. Suddenly, a door came into view. Sirius nodded and as Lucille was about to knock, the door swung open to reveal and ancient man who was shorter than Lucille by a few inches, and blind.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked in a raspy voice. "Hurry, get inside!"

Inside was bright and warm and cheerful, which Lucille found odd but very welcome after the dreary dark alley. The smell of chamomile and poppies wafted about clouding her mind in just the slightest.

"I've been waiting for you a very long time, what took you so long?" he asked grumpily.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Lucille asked, feeling confused. Why had he been waiting for her if she hadn't even known he or this shop had been in Hogsmeade?

"Well I've been waiting for another person at least; it does get rather quiet in here by myself." Lucille breathed a sigh of relief. She was worried she was going insane. "Now, what are you looking for, my dear?" croaked the old man.

"_I_ need a wand," Sirius answered, and Lucille noticed that he'd returned to his human form. She also noticed the old man jerk at the sound of Sirius's voice, and a bewildered look creased his face.

"Name?" the blind man asked in almost a whisper, his fingertips grazing his chin.

" Obscurus Black," Sirius answered without missing a beat.

"Ah, Obscurus; to hide or conceal…but a member of the Black family that was never mentioned?" the old man question, a brow raised.

"What if I was the son of Sirius? I certainly wouldn't be spoken of then," Sirius answered, a smiled playing on his lips.

"Quite true; I suppose I'll put it on the family account then," the man said, a smirked that seemed familiar to Lucille coming to his face.

"No, no, no. That won't be necessary. It must never be mentioned that I was here, Uncle Alphard," Sirius told him quickly. The blind man let a out a scratchy laugh.

"Honestly, Sirius my boy, I don't understand why you ever try to disguise yourself to me when you'll always give yourself away. You know you're the only one who ever called me 'uncle,'" Alphard said. He welcomed Sirius in a hug. "I wish I could tell you what a fine, strong young man you've turned out to be, but I haven't been seeing much of anything since you were, what, seventeen?" Alphard laughed his raspy laugh again. "And what's this about you mass murdering thirteen people? I've been meaning to ask you, but I haven't seen you around for quite some timenot that I've really been seeing much of anything. Thirteen is such an unlucky number too. What did I always tell you Sirius?"

"Make friends, not enemies," Sirius recited warily as Alphard waved his finger to prompt him.

"Make friends, not enemies…friends, not enemies," Alphard repeated to himself under his breath. "Did I really say that? Well, that's catchy, I must try to remember that one," he said happily. Sirius rolled his eyes at Lucille and she let out a small giggle. "Regardless, about you killing people…"

"Uncle Alphard, they framed me" Sirius began indignantly, but Alphard waved him off, laughing.

"I just like yanking your chain, lad. I had a feeling. Don't get your knickers in a twist; I know you better than that. Now, who's this?" he asked, turning to his left, where no one stood.

"Your other side, Uncle," Sirius said, turning him to face Lucille, who was at Sirius's left.

"Well, who is she, more importantly," Alphard said impatiently. He took Lucille's hands in both of his and smiled at her. "That's my nephew for you; can't take a bloody minute to focus and give a proper introduction of his wife to his uncle," he said. Sirius's jaw dropped. "It's a surprise you were able to settle the boy down at all, what with killing people and being thrown in Azkaban," he joked. Lucille's jaw dropped as well and he eyes widened.

"Whwhat?"

"Oh Sirius, you truly are a dolt," Alphard said annoyed, turning to him with a grimace. "You married the girl and didn't even tell her about your past?" Sirius turned bright red.

"No Alphard, Lucille isn't my wife," Sirius said exasperatedly. "She'sshe's just a friend." Alphard clucked his tongue.

"Yes, that's how they all start out, isn't it," he said, bumping into a wheeled chair on his way to the shelves full of wands. "Well, to the point. Since you've been gone, I've been experimenting with new magical cores. This one I'm particularly excited about; I started trying hair from the tails of pegasi, and this wand," he said pulling a box from the shelf and opening it, "is made with a Thestral's hair." He offered the box to Sirius, and Sirius picked up the wand and inspected it. "Holly, pretty flexible, about fourteen inches. I just know it's for you." Sirius admired the tiny carving of a dog on the handle. Knowing that his favorite uncle had still thought of him and missed him made him smile and he felt touched. He rose the wand and tip began to glow, and the silvery bird similar to a phoenix flowed out. It was Sirius's Patronus of course; what it was exactly, he was never sure, but large and graceful, and it usually didn't stray too far from his side when it appeared. Even now, it was perched somewhat on his shoulder. Lucille gave a faint "oh!" and Sirius remembered she was there.

"It's such a lovely Patronus; I've never seen a swan one," she said softly. Sirius raised a brow and glanced at his Patronus.

"I was never quite sure what it was…I mean, I knew it was a bird obviously; the wings, but that was it. Guess I just forgot about swans. I can't even think of why it'd be a swanI've never even seen one up close."

"Well, now that you have your wand, my boy, I expect you'll be on the run again," Alphard spoke up as the swan began to fade. Sirius nodded as he watched it fade.

"Yes, afraid so, Alphard," he said disappointedly. He hugged Alphard and Alphard shook his hand.

"Good luck Sirius; with the ministry, you'll need it. And Miss? Miss Lucille, am I right? Please take good care of my nephew. He'll need all your help on his journey."

"But I won't be going with him"

"You say that now. Trust me, I know how things work. And if you do get the chance, do tell Amelia that I send my greetings." Lucille nodded, and then realized that Alphard couldn't see her.

"Yes, of course," she said.

"It was lovely meeting you," Alphard said, bowing to them as they stood on the doorstep.

"You too," Lucille answered, still feeling a bit shy.

"Sirius, do be careful," Alphard warned him yet again. Sirius grinned at Lucille as he rolled his eyes.

"Yes Alphard, really; have a little faith in me. It's not as though I'm going to go waltzing into the Ministry of magic anytime soon." Alphard smiled tiredly.

"I always have faith in you, boy. But just look before you leap," he implored. He paused. "I love you, Sirius," he added roughly. Sirius surprised him with a tight hug.

"I love you too Alphard," he said getting all choked up. It was rare, if never to hear a member of Sirius's family admit to caring about each othereven for Alphard, who was not unlike Sirius. Alphard broke the hug awkwardly though and wished them luck one last time

Sirius and Lucille stepped out of the doorway and as Sirius transformed into a dog, the door closed behind them. Lucille tried not blink, but in the nanosecond that she did, the door had disappeared.

"How do other people find your uncle's shop?" Lucille asked, but then saw that Sirius couldn't answer her because he was a big black dog. "Oh well. We're going back to camp now, and I get to totally remake you," she said in a sing-song voice, and she couldn't help but laugh as Sirius whined pitifully.

Bonus points for those who can tell me what the title of this chapter means!


	5. Closer and Farther

Chapter Five: Closer and Farther

It wasn't long before Lucille, Sirius and Buckbeak were back in the edge of the woods, the fire lit again. Lucille conjured a porcelain tub with clawed feet and hot running water out of the air, along with some fluffy pink towels and a loofah. She dutifully handed Sirius a washcloth a towel and the body wash.

"Go do your thing," she said primly. Sirius couldn't help it.

"I've forgotten how; care to help?" he asked roguishly. Lucille swatted at his arm.

"Yeah, it smells like it! Get going!"

"How rude. Fine then, don't look," Sirius said mockingly and with a flick of his new wand, he created a changing screen. Going behind it, he came out a minute later in a towel, and Lucille made a point not to glance at him…more than twice. For becoming very thin over the past twelve years, he still had a very strong muscular physic. Lucille waited until he was in the tub and made sure he scrubbed his fingernails and toenails. As he washed up, Lucille laid out Sirius's one and only outfit, scrutinizing it studiously. She wished she'd thought to get him a robe while they were in Hogsmeade, but oh well. She patched up what she could and tried to make the color a bit more vibrant, but they still looked like old worn gray robes.

"Scourgify," she said to clean the robs, and they were clean, if anything. Lucille turned to see Sirius with his head resting against the edge of the tub, staring at her.

"What now?" he asked boredly.

"Get dressed. I'm going to do your nails and hair now," she told him as she draped his clothes over the screen, handed him his towel, and turned around. As soon as Sirius had disappeared behind the screen, Lucille transfigured the tub into a chair with a sink behind it and manicure table in front of it, similar to one in a beauty parlor. Sirius came out from behind the screen, examining the cleaned, fixed, state of his robes.

"Thanks for patching this up, Lucille; really quite sweet ofwhat is that?" Sirius interrupted himself to regard the little makeshift beauty shop suspiciously.

I have to wash and cut your hair, and work on those nasty nails of your, and it probably wouldn't hurt to give your toes a once over too."

"Lucille! I'm going into hiding, not enter the Witch Weekly's Most Charming Escaped Convict Contest!" Sirius exploded at her. Lucille sighed.

"I know, Sirius; but wouldn't be nice to look as good as you did back at school? I mean, let's be honest," she said, a slow smile coming to her lips and batting her eyes once or twice, "I know _I _wouldn't mind seeing you that way again." Sirius's lips parted in slight surprise. Was Lucille actually flirting with him? She patted the back of the chair.

"Why don't you take a seat?" she suggested.

"Fine, but I'm only doing it so I'll look different from the wanted posters," Sirius told her stubbornly as he plunked into the chair. Lucille smiled. The wonders that stroking an ego can do.

"You know, in muggle beauty shops, the costumers gossip with the beauticians, so if you want to, you know, spill your guts, feel free," Lucille teased him as she began working on his nails.

"Right, and then I'll run and ask Snape to tea," Sirius snorted.

"You know, Snape isn't all that bad…once you give him a chance and get used to him," Lucille tried to defend.

"What? He terrorized you and your friends at school!"

"Well, _I _can forgive and forget."

"Why, do you like him or something?" Sirius asked quickly.

"Why, would you be jealous?" Lucille answered his question with a question coyly.

"I asked you first."

"_I _asked you second/

"Lucille, c'mon!"

"Oh fine then; no I don't _like_ him. Now answer mine," she laughed, not figuring he would.

"Yes, I would be," Sirius answered nonchalantly. Lucille stopped pushing back his cuticles for a second to stare at him briefly.

"Oh." They were quiet.

"I'm honest; you can't hate me for that," Sirius said lightly, though he now wished he'd kept his mouth shut. They were starting to get along again.

Lucille felt very stupid for asking him now, she wished she hadn't. Staring at his hands as she worked on them, she blurted out the first thing she could think of.

"You've got really big hands."

"Well, you know what they say about guys with big hands," Sirius said playfully, wiggling his brows at her as he caught her eye. Lucille wanted to smack herself. Once again, she'd set herself up…

"I don't want to know," she said quickly.

"Are you sure," Sirius teased. "It's some 'handy' information." He laughed at the pun.

"Sod off, Black," Lucille answered irately.

"C'mon, you know you want to know," he coaxed her.

"Shut up!"

"You don't have to pretend you're not curious"

"_Fine_! Just tell me then, since it seems to be so damned important to you!" she yelled, letting go of his hands and shaking her hair behind her shoulder in aggravation. Sirius blinked at her.

"Big hands, big mittens. What's so bad about that? I thought it was obvious, really," Sirius said innocently. Lucille gaped at him as he smirked.

"Sirius?"

"Yes?"

"I really believe you are the most egregious bloody bastard I've ever met in my entire life."

"Thank you." They were completely silent until she was finished.

"Now look at your hands; they're _much_ better," Lucille said appreciatively, holding his hands to admire her work. She dropped them, stood up, and transfigured the manicure table into a vanity with all sorts of hair products, straightentors, curlers and scissors all in shelves and special hooks. Sirius began squirming slightly.

"Do you really have to cut it?" he asked uneasily.

"Do you want to be recognized easily?" Lucille threatened.

"No," Sirius said dejectedly.

"Well then, sit still. You never wore your hair this long in school, anyway."

"You remember, how sweet," Sirius said sarcastically.

"Shut it, Black, and lean your head back." Sirius actually did what she told him to, and for a second, he kept his eyes open to meet hers. Thankfully he closed them, because Lucille didn't think she'd be able to concentrate with him staring at her so.

"That feels good," Sirius mumbled, enjoy her nails against his scalp. Unknown to him, Lucille blushed. When she was done washing his hair she came around him to get a pair of scissors and she heard him groan. She raised an eyebrow at him questioningly, and he quieted, sadly watching the chunks of hair fall from his shoulders. Twenty minutes later, Lucille turned the chair around so he could face her, and eyed his hair critically. Sirius was curious to see how he looked and the suspense was killing him.

"Are you done yet?" he asked boredly.

"Um, hold on," Lucille murmured, and gently brushed some hair around his face, her fingers grazing the sides of his face. She was surprised how nicely he'd cleaned up; she was actually seeing the boy she had been "hopelessly in love with" in third year. Sirius raised his brows at her approvingly and Lucille smiled shyly. He had it back for sure now. She held up a mirror for him.

"You like?" she asked eagerly. Sirius gazed at his reflection. He looked his appropriate age now, and she'd cut his hair the same way it'd been when he was younger; short, but still long enough to fall in his eyes romantically.

"Lucille, you could have gotten a job with some kind of cosmetologist center for muggle films." Lucille laughed.

"It's just a hobby." Sirius grabbed his money his money bag and dragged out ten galleons.

"Here, you deserve this," he said enthusiastically. But Lucille frowned at him.

"Don't you dare! You need that money to be able to run away," she scolded him.

"Great work shouldn't go unpaid," Sirius insisted. "And I definitely have enough to survive."

"Don't be silly, I'm not that good," she said modestly. "Besides, you can't exactly go running off to Gringotts every day for some pocket money. You need itnot me." Sirius smiled at her.

"So you're worried about me, and you're trying to take care of me…hmm, how very interesting," he replied teasingly. Lucille rolled her eyes.

"How so?" she asked, trying to feebly suppress her smile, but giving up quite quickly.

"I thought you hated my guts." Lucille sighed.

"I don't hate anyone. Besides, I care about people in general too much to knowingly let bad things happen to them."

"So I'm not special?" Sirius pouted. Lucille laughed.

"Of course you are, you're the first person to ever kidnap me, even if you do a bit rotten job of it," she teased. Sirius straightened the collar of his robes confidently.

"I bet if you didn't know I was a con, you'd go out with me," he said cockily.

"Watch it Sirius; your head's inflating at a rather alarming rate," Lucille giggled.

"Well,_ would_ you?" he persisted.

"Would I what?"

"Date me."

"No comment," Lucille answered, a small Mona Lisa-like smile coming to her lips.

"C'mon, who'll _I _tell?" he coaxed.

"I'm not telling you anything," she laughed.

"I knew it. You would," he said triumphantly.

"I never said if I would or not!"

You didn't have to. What you didn't say said a lot more." Lucille furrowed her brow at his haughty smirk.

"You're pretty conceited for a guy who is on the run from the ministry and Dementors," she told him, feeling annoyed.

"I am _not_ conceited," Sirius huffed. It was his turn to narrow his brows and Lucile laughed.

"Yes you are, and you were at school, too," she answered.

"Well, don't I kind of have a reason though?" he joked, gesturing to himself.

"No."

"Aw, you could be a little softer on me; I had a bad home life as a child," Sirius said in a sad little boy voice, making puppy eyes.

"Really?" Sirius noticed that Lucille face had softened, and that her protuberant blue eyes had a sorry look in them, and decided to drop the act. He never used the "my mother hated me" card when he was trying to pick up a girl, and he didn't need to start now.

"Well, I guess, but I don't care. I hate 'em;I mean, I don't usually ever talk about my family. Especially to girls I'm…trying to pick up," he said sheepishly. Lucille laughed.

"I can't imagine hating my family. Why do you dislike them so?"

"They're just…not really my family, if you know what I mean," he said. Sirius stood up to wander around, then finally sat down under a large tree. He hoped Lucille would get the hint that he didn't want to talk about them. But Lucille followed him over and sat beside him.

"Are you adopted?" she asked curiously. She was confused. The Black family was well known for their pure-blood pride, and would never adopt for the chance of getting a muggle-born or a squib, or even worse, a muggle.

"No," Sirius said, smiling at Lucille's innocent curiosity. He sighed. "I wish I was. Everything would have been a lot easier."

"Why?" Sirius looked at her in surprise. He hadn't expected her to be interested in his family and his past.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes, I really want to know." Sirius paused.

"Well, it's pretty common knowledge that the Blacks are prejudice of muggles and muggle-borns. I can't care less. And that killed my family, that I wasn't properly proud of my pure heritage, and I took my roots and ancestors for granted. Especially since I was the oldest son, it was really shameful. The only one of my blood relatives I actually cared about is Alphard. Right after I left my house and started living with James, Alphard put quite a decent fortune in a vault in Gringotts in my name. I was able to get my own place, and my motorcycle. Sirius said fondly. "I loved that bike; it could"

"Fly, right?" Lucille grinned.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Well, when you took Stephanie Whitby for a ride, it left quite an impression." Lucille paused. "She was crazy about you, you know," she told Sirius quietly. She glanced away uneasily. "Cried for weeks and weeks when you barely gave her a second glance after…that." Sirius jaw fell.

"Steph Whitby?" he asked, almost in an angry tone. Lucille gave him a weird look.

"You're the one who was with her, don't give _me _that look," Lucille scoffed. "Can't remember her? Is your age catching up with you?"

"C'mon now, I'm only four years older than you," Sirius said, giving her a look that she smirked at. "Anyways, Steph Whitby…tall, skinny, brown hair, blue eyes?" Lucille nodded. Sirius laughed. "See, I remember. I can also remember some things that will surprise you, like that she was a year older than me, seventeen, and she was my first. And she made it the absolute worst experience of my life."

"What? How?" Lucille asked incredulously.

"Well, first off, we were in a seedy hotel, you know, the kind with tacky shag carpets and broken creaky beds." Lucille laughed. "Then, she was yelling at me the whole time we were…doing the deed. When I was going slow, it was too slow; when I was going fast, it was too fast, and she didn't want any foreplay. I honestly regret being with her. Especially for my first time." Sirius glanced at Lucille, who had a bit of perplexed look on her face. "What?"

"Well, it's not that I know from personal experience, because, um, I've never had sex before," Lucille started, blushing and examining her nails. Sirius grinned at her. "It's just, my friends usually complain about not enough foreplay. And _she _was complaining about _you_ not wanting foreplay?" Sirius's grin became smaller as he drew his face closer to hers.

"Foreplay is the second best part, Lucy. Sometimes it's even as good as orgasmingif you're with the right person," he told her softly, his voice low and gravely. Lucille didn't even realize he called her Lucy. Her knees were so weak right now, she was glad they were sitting down.

"Have you…ever been with the right person?" Lucille asked shyly. Sirius gave her a slow smile, then rolled his playfully.

"No. It was James who said it was that wayhim and Lily, you know. I guess it's why I've been with so many girls; just wanted to find the right way. Funny how I've been with so many and haven't found her, and James was only with one and she was it. I guess that proves it's better to wait. You'll have less regret anyway," he told Lucille. "So you keep waiting, Luce. That way you'll know he's worth it." Their faces were very close now, and neither would tear their eyes away from the other's.

"So tell me about your last years at school," Sirius asked, pretending to move some stray hairs out of her face just to have an excuse to touch her.

"I turned fourteen in fourth year, fifteen in fifth, sixteen in sixth, and seventeen in seventh," Lucille laughed. "Other than that, what more is there to tell?"

"Well, you looked sixteen when you were thirteen, and you still look like a teenager today. So how many heartbreaks were you responsible for," Sirius teased, not taking his hand from her hair, which he was playing with between his fingers.

"I was quiet," Lucille said. "I didn't even think boys noticed me until you kidnapped me. I had a boyfriend or two, but as soon as they pressured me for anything I wasn't comfortable with, I was gone. I was very shy. Mary Jane Prewett was my best friend, and she had enough guts for the both of us. She was popular with everyone, and no one understood why she hung around with a book worm like me," Lucille told him thoughtfully.

"Tell me more."

"Like what?"

"Whatever. Anything. Everything."

"Okay." She paused. "I never worried about getting married, I was just so sure it would happen right after graduation, but here I am, twenty eight and alone. Really sucks, because there's nothing more I want than to be married and become a mother. I mean, I'm practically a mum to my sister Susan, she's only just thirteen, but I want a baby of my own. A sign that I created life though love with my husband." Lucille sighed. "That's true beauty." Sirius became pensive as he went over Lucille's words in his head. She was right. It would be truly awesome to see a life, a human, created by the love of two people who loved each other above all others. "_After seeing hate destroy so many lives, it would be a pleasant change,_" he thought dryly. Suddenly for the first time in twelve years, Sirius felt sorry for himself for being unfairly jailed. He had missed out on living a life.

"I'd never thought about me having kids," Sirius admitted.

"What do you think of them now?" Lucille asked with her mysterious smile.

"I think I'd really want them. Dozens. As long as I could find the right person.

"Dozens?" Lucille laughed. "I doubt you'll find a woman willing to pop out dozens."

"I dunno. It's stupid really," Sirius said quickly.

"No, it's not, I'm just teasing."

"No. I don't want them really. I mean, it's hard work, and I'd have to be on the run constantly, so I'd be a dead beat dad, assuming I could actually find a bird to marry me. It's really better I'm not a dad. Lucky, really." He tried to sound unaffected and force a smile, but Sirius always had a problem doing and saying things he didn't mean.

"Maybe your name will be cleared," Lucille said, feeling horrible that he felt such hopelessness. Sirius snorted.

"I'll be eighty by then, and even if I wasn't I'd still have a hard time finding the right girl because of lingering Azkaban ambiance, and then if I get past _that_, I'll die before the kid is born, and I'd never even get to so much hold him. Or her," Sirius finished resignedly.

"Don't be so negative; you don't know what your future holds," Lucille told him gently. Sirius turned to face her, his face closer to hers again.

"I wish I did. Then I'd know whether or not to do what I want to do right now," Sirius said in a voice barely more than a whisper.

Lucille's hear was pounding so hard in her chest she was afraid Sirius could hear it This couldn't actually be happening, could it?

"What's that?" she managed to say.

"Conjure a grilled cheese sandwich," Sirius said pleasantly, turning away. "I haven't had one in agesand I'm very much craving one." Lucille couldn't believe her ears.

"Excuse me, what?"

"I want to conjure a grilled cheese sandwich," Sirius repeated, arching a brow and smirking at her. "What'd you think I was going to say?" He watched her face happily as it began to tinge pink.

"Idon't know," she ended bluntly.

"Oh, _I _see; you though I was going to _kiss _you," Sirius said gleefully.

"I didn't," Lucille responded instantly.

"You did. And I think you wanted me to pretty damn badly, too," Sirius added. Lucille stood up and glared at him, but he just grinned up at her.

"I never wanted nothing of the sort and how dare you accuse me of such a thing," she said stiffly, and turned and began to stomp off. Sirius jumped up after her, grabbed her hand, and swung her around into his arms.

"And _I _never thought that a McGonagall impression would actually turn me on," Sirius answered in a gravely voice. Lucille's eyes widened as they searched his dark grey ones, and before she even realized it, Sirius Black had pulled her close and was kissing her. He knees threatened to give away again, but Sirius must have felt it and only pulled her closer. The first kiss turned into two, then two into three, and then Lucille realized what she was doing and pushed Sirius away. He gave her a confused look.

"I thought you were enjoying that?" he asked bemusedly. Lucille slapped him in the face and Sirius blinked. "Well, never got that before," he started, but he was quickly interrupted.

"Who the Hell do you think you are, kissing me like that?" Lucille hissed angrily. Sirius's brows raised.

"I thought that's what you wanted."

"I didn't want it, thanks!"

"Well, you still need it. I never met someone who needed as much kissing as you," he retorted. Lucille gave him a disgusted look.

"And who made you the Grand Kisser?" Sirius laughed.

"I don't know, but I rather fancy the title. Besides, don't even say you didn't like it. You're glowing."

"I…I…I…." Lucille stutter. Sirius came towards her again

"Yes, I know, you hated it. Now if you don't mind, there's a girl in desperate need to be kissed often and properly, and by my power as the Grand Kisser, I must make sure it's done." Sirius wasted no more time pulling her in again. Lucille gave a small struggle, but it was not enough to convince either of them, so it was short lived. Sirius was doing things to her she never dreamed could be done by only kissing.

"Sirius," she whispered, letting the slightest moan escape from her mouth very much against her will. Without saying a word, Sirius scooped Lucille up into his arms.

"Tenadendia," he said, and a tent materialized one of the magic kinds with the house-like indoors, and carried Lucille inside. They continued kissing on the plush couch for quite sometime, until Lucille broke away from him.

"I think I'm ready," she said breathlessly, her face slightly flushed, and not only from all the kissing.

"Ready for what?" Sirius asked, hoping she wasn't going to ask for something he couldn't, wouldn't, give her.

"You know…you, and me…" she trailed off nervously. Sirius smiled.

"Not too long ago, you were yelling at me for kissing you," he said, trying to keep things light. He had an idea this was going to be a fragile situation.

"I was being stubborn. Can't we?" Sirius sighed and sat up, putting his head in his hands.

"No Lucy; I can't."

"Why? I'm ready, I swear!"

"No. You promised yourself you'd wait until you were married." Sirius didn't want her to get carried away and think she should lose her virginity to him when the future was so unclear. He didn't even have protection, anyway.

"Things change." She crawled close again.

"Some things shouldn't. You shouldn't change your morals for a one night stand." There was a deathly silence and Sirius felt her stiffen.

"If this is only for one night, why did you even bother kissing me at all?" Lucille asked coldly. She pulled away.

"Because that's what happens when you let your heart take over for your head; you don't think rationally!" he said heatedly. She probably thought he was going to use her now. "_Bad word choice, mate_," a voice said in the back of Sirius's head. "I forgot that I'll probably never see you after I take you back tomorrow, because kissing you seemed more important than either of our futures," Sirius explained. Lucille was shaking; with anger or tears, Sirius wasn't sure.

"Never. Speak. To. Me. Again," she said through gritted teeth, and in one fluid movement, swept herself up the stairs and into the first bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Sirius ran after her, nearly colliding with the banister.

"Lucy don't be mad, please," he called through the door.

"Don't call me Lucy you miserably bloody git!" she screamed through the door. Sirius blanched and anger rose up inside of him as well.

"Fine!" He yelled back. "Fine! See if I care, you insufferable spoiled prissy little brat!" He slammed his fist into a wall and stomped back down the stairs. He had no idea what to do. He'd thought he'd done the right, noble thing by not taking advantage of her. After he took her back tomorrow night, they'd never see each other againif he was lucky. He couldn't believe he'd ever found that tart attractive, but then again, he also couldn't believe he'd turned her down. Sirius flopped backwards onto the couch. When the hell did he stop carrying protection with him, constantly? And why? "_Oh yes, that's right; forgot about Azkaban_." Now he was forgetting about being in Azkaban because of the frustration Lucille was giving him. He wished he'd never kissed her. Hell, he wished he'd never taken her! What had possessed him to do such a thing? She was going back tomorrow night, no doubt about it. He would probably wind up turning himself in to the Dementors if she stayed with him any longer. Sirius stood up and paced back and forth, then walked to the bottom of the stairs.

"I hope you're happy!" he yelled up to her angrily.


End file.
